1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lamp system, and more particularly to a lamp system applicable to a series-connected light source.
2. Description of Related Art
A series-connected light source formed of conventional lamp systems often cannot form a conducting path due to one damaged lamp system. Therefore, a lot of inventors have manufactured a lamp system having a loop which is always in a conducting state. If one bulb assembly of a lamp system is damaged, the whole series-connected light may still form a conducting path when the damaged bulb assembly is removed or even when the damaged bulb assembly is not removed.
Referring to FIG. 1, a lamp system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,740 is shown. The lamp system 10 includes a bulb assembly 100 and a socket assembly 104. The bulb assembly 10 includes a first bulb pin 101, a second bulb pin 102, and an insulator 103 disposed on the bottom thereof. The socket assembly 104 includes an outer housing 105, a first elastic conductive terminal 106, and a second elastic conductive terminal 107. The outer housing 105 includes an opening 105A to install the bulb assembly. The outer housing 105 further includes a first wire opening 106A and a second wire opening 107A, so as to connect the elastic conductive terminals 106, 107 with external wires 108, 109. The first elastic conductive terminal 106 is externally connected to a first wire 108, and the second elastic conductive terminal 107 is externally connected to a second wire 109. When the bulb assembly 100 is not installed to the socket assembly 104, the first elastic conductive terminal 106 and the second elastic conductive terminal 107 contact with each other, such that a conducting path is formed between the first elastic conductive terminal 106 and the second elastic conductive terminal 107.
Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic view of installing the bulb assembly 100 in FIG. 1 to the socket assembly 104 is shown. When the bulb assembly 100 is installed on the socket assembly 104, the insulator 103 insulates the first elastic conductive terminal 106 from the second elastic conductive terminal 107, such that the first elastic conductive terminal 106 and the second elastic conductive terminal 107 do not contact with each other. At this time, the first bulb pin 101 contacts the first elastic conductive terminal 106, and the second bulb pin 102 contacts the second elastic conductive terminal 107. The bulb assembly 100 forms a conducting path with the first elastic conductive terminal 106 and the second elastic conductive terminal 107.
More than one lamp system 10 may be connected in series to form a series-connected light source. If one bulb assembly 100 in any lamp system 10 in the series-connected light source is damaged, the whole series-connected light source may still form a conducting path as long as the damaged bulb assembly 100 is removed from the socket assembly 104. However, if the bulb assembly 100 in the lamp system 10 has been installed on the socket assembly 104 for a long time, the elastic conductive terminals 106 and 107 will suffer elastic fatigue. Therefore, when the elastic conductive terminals 106 and 107 suffer the elastic fatigue, it is possible that the first elastic conductive terminal 106 and the second elastic conductive terminal 107 cannot contact with each other due to the elastic fatigue after the bulb assembly 100 is removed. If the bulb assembly 100 of the lamp system 10 suffering the elastic fatigue is damaged, it is still possible that the whole series-connected light source cannot form a conducting path even if the bulb assembly 100 is removed from the socket assembly 104.
Referring to FIG. 3, a lamp system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,463 is shown. The lamp system 20 includes a bulb assembly 200, a socket assembly 204, and a shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210. The bulb assembly 20 includes a first bulb pin 201, a second bulb pin 202, and an insulator 203 disposed on the bottom thereof. The socket assembly 204 includes an outer housing 205, a first conductive terminal 206, and a second conductive terminal 207. The outer housing 205 includes an opening 205A to install the bulb assembly 200. The outer housing 205 further includes a first wire opening 206A and a second wire opening 207A, so as to connect the conductive terminals 206, 207 with external wires 208, 209. The first conductive terminal 206 is externally connected to the first wire 208, and the second conductive terminal 207 is externally connected to the second wire 209. The shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 includes a shunt sheet metal 211. The shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 is disposed in the socket assembly 204. The shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 is pushed by an external force, and is restored to the original position when the external force is removed. When the bulb assembly 200 is not installed on the socket assembly 204, the first conductive terminal 206 and the second conductive terminal 207 contact the two ends of the shunt sheet metal 211, respectively, such that a conducting path is formed between the first conductive terminal 206, the second conductive terminal 207, and the shunt sheet metal 211.
Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic view of installing the bulb assembly 200 in FIG. 3 on the socket assembly 204 is shown. When the bulb assembly 200 is installed on the socket assembly 204, the insulator 203 contacts the shunt sheet metal 211. The bulb assembly 200 pushes the shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 downward, and the first conductive terminal 206 and the second conductive terminal 207 are insulated from the shunt sheet metal 211. That is, the first conductive terminal 206 and the second conductive terminal 207 will not contact the two ends of the shunt sheet metal 211. At this time, the first bulb pin 201 contacts the first conductive terminal 206, and the second bulb pin 202 contacts the second conductive terminal 207. The bulb assembly 200 forms a conducting path with the first conductive terminal 206 and the second conductive terminal 207.
More than one lamp system 20 may be connected in series to form a series-connected light source. When the bulb assembly 200 in any lamp system 20 in the series-connected light source is damaged, the shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 is restored to the original position to form a conducting path as long as the damaged bulb assembly 200 is removed from the socket assembly 204. At this point, the first conductive terminal 206 and the second conductive terminal 207 contact the two ends of the shunt sheet metal 211, respectively, such that the whole series-connected light source still may form a conducting path. However, when the lamp system 20 is being manufactured, the positions of the conductive terminals 206 and 207 should be changed, and the shunt sheet metal socket assembly 210 is disposed within the socket assembly 204. Therefore, the manufacturing flow of the lamp system 20 is more complicated than the manufacturing flow of a conventional lamp system, thereby enhancing the cost.
Referring to FIG. 5, a lamp system disclosed in US Patent Publication No. 20060274556 is shown. The lamp system 30 includes a bulb assembly 300 and a socket assembly 304. The bulb assembly 30 includes a first bulb pin 301, a second bulb pin 302, and an insulation object 303 disposed on the bottom thereof. The socket assembly 304 includes an outer housing 305, a first conductive terminal 306, a second conductive terminal 307, and an elastic sheet metal base assembly 310. The outer housing 305 includes an opening 305A to install the bulb assembly 300. The outer housing 305 further includes a first wire opening 306A and a second wire opening 307A, so as to connect the conductive terminals 306, 307 with external wires 308, 309. The first conductive terminal 306 is externally connected to the first wire 308, and the second conductive terminal 307 is externally connected to the second wire 209. The elastic sheet metal base assembly 310 is one part of the socket assembly 304, and the elastic sheet metal base assembly 310 includes an elastic sheet metal 311. When the bulb assembly 300 is not installed on the socket assembly 304, the first conductive terminal 306 contacts a first end 311A of the elastic sheet metal 311, and the second conductive terminal 307 contacts a second end 311B of the elastic sheet metal 311, such that a conducting path is formed between the first conductive terminal 306, the second conductive terminal 307, and the elastic sheet metal 311.
Referring to FIG. 6, a schematic view of installing the bulb assembly 300 in FIG. 5 on the socket assembly 304 is shown. When the bulb assembly 300 is installed on the socket assembly 304, the insulation object 303 insulates the conductive terminals 306 and 307 from the elastic sheet metal 311. That is to say, the first conductive terminal 306 and the second conductive terminal 307 will not contact the two ends 311A and 311B of the elastic sheet metal 311. At this point, the first bulb pin 301 contacts the first conductive terminal 306, and the second bulb pin 302 contacts the second conductive terminal 307. The bulb assembly 300 forms a conducting path with the first conductive terminal 306 and the second conductive terminal 307.
More than one lamp system 30 may be connected in series to form a series-connected light source. When the bulb assembly 300 in any lamp system 30 in the series-connected light source is damaged, the elastic sheet metal 311 is restored to the original position to form a conductive path as long as the damaged bulb assembly 300 is removed from the socket assembly 304, such that the first conductive terminal 306 and the second conductive terminal 307 contact the two ends 311A and 311B of the elastic sheet metal 311, respectively, and the whole series-connected light source may still form a conducting path. However, when the lamp system 30 is being manufactured, the positions of the conductive terminals 306 and 307 should be changed, and the elastic sheet metal base assembly 310 is one part of the socket assembly 304. Therefore, the manufacturing flow of the lamp system 30 is more complicated than the manufacturing flow of a conventional lamp system, thereby enhancing the cost.
In view of the above, with regard to the conventional lamp systems in a series-connected light source, the positions of the conductive terminals must be changed in the manufacturing flow, thereby causing an enhanced manufacturing cost. In order to solve the aforementioned and other problems, the present invention provides a lamp system in a series-connected light source manufactured with a low cost, in which the positions of the conductive terminals need not be changed in the manufacturing flow.